This invention relates to cigarette lighters holders. More particularly, this invention relates to cigarette lighter holders combined with other useful instruments, such as pencil sharpeners or whistles.
The prior art includes various structures for combining a lighter with a pen. The following patents are illustrative:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Inventor Issue Date ______________________________________ 2,308,225 Edenburg Jan. 12, 1943 2,828,855 Mosch April 1, 1958 3,150,507 Smith Sept. 29, 1964 ______________________________________
The Edenburg patent shows a lighter combined with a pen or pencil.
The Mosch patent shows a lighter combined with a pen, pencil, nail file, knife, screwdriver, can opener, or flashlight. The lighter may be combined with more than one of these implements. The implements which are combined with the lighter are interchangeably connected to a portion of the lighter body.
The Smith patent discloses a lighter combined with a pen, the lighter being specially constructed so as to avoid the use of a lid.
Other patents, such as the following, have shown cigarette lighters in combination with other devices:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Inventor Issue Date ______________________________________ 2,921,495 Ichikawa Jan. 19, 1960 4,304,548 Ruhaut et al Dec. 8, 1981 ______________________________________
The Ichikawa patent discloses a lighter having a built-in music box device.
The Ruhaut et al patent discloses a cigarette lighter combined with a key to facilitate the opening of frozen locks.
Previous patents further include the following:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Inventor Issue Date ______________________________________ 256,738 Boman et al April 18, 1882 1,776,283 Harasimiak Sept. 23, 1930 4,247,283 Vidas Jan. 27, 1981 ______________________________________
The Boman et al patent discloses a combined pencil point protector, twine cutter, and whistle.
The Harasimiak patent discloses a combined key and pencil sharpener.
The Vidas patent discloses a flaming trumpet or musical instrument whereby the musician may generate audience excitement by causing the trumpet to flame.
The Austrian patent No. 138,287 issued on July 10, 1934 discloses a cigarette lighter with a built-in pencil sharpener.
Although the above and other devices known heretofore have been generally useful, none of these devices is especially well suited for the disposable cigarette lighters which are common today. If a cigarette lighter is disposable, it is not especially economical to include another instrument built into the cigarette lighter housing.